By Harshit Choudhary

Plumaria Alba - native flower of Laos, also known as Champa flower in India. It's botanical name is Magnolia Champaka. It is on a large, tropical evergreen tree that grows to a height of 50 feet or above. Flowers are long, inverted, lance shaped with thin petals. The flowers have a long protruding tip. The flowering season is from May- December. The fruits of the tree grow in clusters, appear like grapes, contain capsule like 1-2 seeds, brown in colour. It is also used as perfume, it is used for decorative purposes and for social and religious gatherings. It's beautiful too like a lot but besides that the whole tree is used for medicinal purposes like it is used in treating a dangerous disease like herpes and it is used in a lot of ayurvedic medicines. Also it is one of my favorite flowers as I have grown up playing around these trees and I am sort of connected to them.

- Harshit Choudhary